Egyptian military helicopters on Tuesday launched air strikes on militants in the country’s restive Sinai peninsula

Egyptian military helicopters on Tuesday launched air strikes on militants in the country's restive Sinai peninsula, security sources and witnesses said.
  
A security source told AFP the operation was the "biggest aerial assault of its kind in Sinai," where clashes between militants and army and police personnel have risen since President Mohammad Mursi was ousted by the military on July 3.
  
Witnesses said "Apache helicopters" bombed several villages south of Rafah border crossing with the Palestinian Gaza Strip when the operation began at around 9:00 am (0700 GMT).
  
They said the helicopters hit several houses, and that the attacks had caused casualties.
  
Militants have launched near-daily attacks on police and army facilities in Sinai, a region mostly populated by Bedouins who have conflictual relations with Egyptian authorities in Cairo.